Corporal Keston Garcia has been charged with demanding the Sum of $2,000 cash by Menace, following advice received from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, George Busby.
Garcia, 44, was granted bail by JP Stephen Young and is expected to appear before a Sangre Grande Magistrate on October 18th.
According to a press release from the TTPS, a businessman reported to police that on September 10th he was conducting operations at his legitimate quarry, when a police officer dressed in plain clothes and driving a marked police vehicle arrived and demanded that he pay a tax of $2,000 to operate his business.
The victim who felt intimidated agreed to pay the money and the officer informed him that he would send someone to collect the money at a subsequent date. A report was made to the police and on September 14th, the officer sent someone to collect the $2,000 on his behalf. The victim handed over the sum of $800.
Officers of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) subsequently arrested the suspect at the Sangre Grande Police Station on that same date. Investigations were spearheaded by W/Snr. Supt. Suzette Martin and supervised by Supt. Montrichard, ASP Birch, Sgt. Williams and Cpl Joefield, all of the PSB. Garcia was charged with the offence by PC Mohamed, also of the PSB.